#i just...cannot get this idea out of my head

[falafels]

pt.29!! <pt.28

the universe is expanding in my head like bacteria so to catch everyone up (specifically for this post, might have to make a lore update post at some point separately) :

Dan cannot keep a plant alive for love nor money but has no idea and thinks she’s a master of plant care. Matt and Renee have been keeping them alive and she likes to flex her unorthodox plant care (terror tactics) and if she ever found out how many times she’d almost killed them she’d be crushed.

Shane Reed of the trojans is a silly billy and Jean is deeply confused by everything about him, particularly why he just shows up at Jean’s/Cat’s/Laila’s with tubs of soup and invites himself in “to hang” (eat the soup, watch you eat the soup, ask you strange questions, leave)

tag gangggg @andrewsleftarmband @blurryhour @you-know-i-get-itt @notexactlythatgirl @longspacerat @tessasilverswan @minyard-05 @carbon-dated-gal @bisexualchaosdemon @stormiiflies @watercoloureyes01 @vampire-overlord @iron-sides @azure-wing @buffalo-fox @ohgodnotagainplease @pink-hydrangea @jaywalkerss @ohmynoggin-blog @cosmic-marauder @min-getoutofmy-yard @plazybones @disastersappho @leestars13 @the-witch-forever-lives @minyardsss @post-historical-posts <333

[suzukiblu]

hi, question for you, have you ever experienced prolonged writer’s block before? do you happen to have any advice for getting a writing flow going again, that you’d be willing to share?

bc i don’t want to get too heavy in your asks, but between chronic illness/fatigue and longterm autistic burnout i haven’t been able to write a single word in several years now, and GOD am i tired of it. it’s like all the stories and words are stuck inside me and i can see it all in my head but the faucet is jammed and i just can’t get it OUT! i have been slowly feeling like the creative embers are maybe starting to spark again but it’s so hard not to get impatient with myself because it never seems to actually transfer to paper (or word document or notes app). any ideas or tips?

no pressure to answer this if you don’t want to of course, regardless i really enjoy your writing and i’m so glad that i can at least engage with fandom through other authors even when i can’t write my own stories! 💛

Oh god, yeah, I DEFINITELY have experienced that, hahasob. I have gone through at LEAST a year or two without, like, putting down a single word or even drawing anything, just total creative block/not there-ness. Like I feel u on that one, bud.

Good news: now if I write less than 2k in a day I think "oh that's kinda low, huh", so like . . . definitely "didn't write jack shit for [ INSERT TIME PERIOD HERE ]" has yet to sink me, and therefore fuck if it's gonna sink ANY of us. We persevere!!

So like, in my experience actually helpful writing advice is just SO wildly "you just gotta try shit 'til something works"-based that I'mma just give you a list made up of a bunch of, like, assorted tips and tricks that I use on myself to make my brain put words down when it's being stubborn about it, though different ones work at different times and obvi YMMV here anyway because for obvious reasons these are all approaches that I have tailored to my own needs, hah, and some of them are a bit facetious and some are also a bit heavy, but absolutely and unironically I reguarly use them all and they have all repeatedly worked for me.

Also, they're all gonna be goin' behind a cut because WOW there's actually a lot more of them than I realized I had, hahaha. The psychiatrist who recently used me as a case study told me I was very self-aware, so take from that what you will, friend.

Get up and do a chore/take a shower/eat a snack/literally just walk through a friggin' doorway, more often than not it'll at least make your brain reorient enough for you to realize you were just beating your head against a wall and need to do [ INSERT DAMAGE CONTROL/HARM REDUCTION BEHAVIOR HERE ].

Track your progress. Write to-do lists and cross shit off 'em. Keep track of your word count when you write; put it in a spreadsheet or a notebook or on a graph on your bulletin board.

Get a NEW way to track your progress. I currently use, like, three different "to-do list" apps to varying degrees in varying ways, not counting just my basic calendar app ( for the record: Finch, Structured, and just a generic notes app, but mostly Finch and Structured and seriously I CANNOT recommend Finch enough, go get yourself a bird buddy immediately. do you want a friend code, I will GIVE you a friend code, I think it gives you a bonus mini-pet or something if you use it. ), and also set myself MANY a phone alarm to remind myself of things that I need to do in case I space out or get distracted by somebody/something/the specific phase of the moon.

Did you take your meds? Take your fucking MEDS, self, good LORD.

Leave the house even if for literally, like, thirty seconds to just stand in some actual natural light. Or leave the house to go eat at a cafe or library or fast food place and just put yourself in a new environment for literally any length of time whatsoever.

Switch pens. Switch notebooks. Get a NEW notebook. Use your laptop instead. Use your PHONE instead. Get a nicer notebook. Get a shittier notebook. Use the scratch paper at work. Use the Procreate app on your friggin' iPad if you gotta, whatever, you do what you want!!

Don't write!!

Seriously just don't, go watch an actual scripted TV show or movie or read a book or a comic or some fic. Feed your brain something you didn't have to make up yourself.

Come up with a convoluted way to trick yourself into being accountable to someone else. Join a writing group. Make a Tumblr post about how you're gonna go write now. Ask Tumblr for their opinion on what you should write now. Ask Tumblr to spin this random wheel spinner game you generated and tell you what answer they got, and then write THAT.

HAVE you had a snack? Did you eat breakfast? Did you eat lunch? Did you remember to move around the house at any point whatsoever during the day? Maybe like, do that. Like, at least the snack part. Maybe a stretch or something wouldn't hurt either though.

Meal prep is so fucking useful and saves you SO much annoying time and also, like, makes you eat actual veggies and fruit and shit, genuinely actually works, the gym bros were not wrong, go figure. Also then you don't have to think about what you're gonna eat all the time and then cook it and then clean up and then--yeah anyway meal prep, god bless it. Once a week I make a batch of pasta salad and roast a pan of good-when-roasted veggies with like, garlic and salt and pepper and some olive oil and add bacon after, and then I portion it all into tupperware and in the morning I add spinach or crack an egg into that day's share of veggies for breakfast and maybe make some toast, and just grab one of the pasta salads whenever I want something lunch-like. It saves SO much time and distraction when you are hurting for free time/focus. So, SO much.

Unfortunately the gym bros were also correct about exercise, if that's doable for you. Exercise does in fact make you feel better and more energized and less depressed, fuck those guys for being right about that shit. Assuming you have enough iron in your blood to actually, like, do it, which admittedly I frequently do not, but the point stands.

Dude why are you even trying to write, you're so tired, go to bed and get up early, you write SO much better in the mornings anyway.

Hey, I know that's how you USED to write, but like, is that actually how you write right now? Is that actually even what works for you anymore? Actually maybe outlines COULD be helpful or maybe you don't need all those worldbuilding notes all at once; maybe your inner architect needs to let the building decay and go back to nature or maybe your inner gardener has developed a taste for trellises, metaphorically speaking and all.

Please eat something. Also please DRINK something. Like ideally water but we'll go for anything that involves a liquid, seriously.

Hey did you know actually if you ONLY eat instant ramen and microwave pizza you'll probably get scurvy and die instead of, like, writing your magnum opus? Like probably?? Put a fucking egg in that ramen, man! Slice up a scallion in that bitch!! EAT AN ACTUAL WHOLE FRUIT or at least, like, buy a smoothie with actual fruit involved somewhere in it on occasional. The whole fruit, unfortunately, is better. I like apples. Apples take a REAL long time to rot if I forget they exist for a couple weeks or whatever. But like, mango smoothies are also the shit, can't turn down a mango smoothie or a good strawberry-banana. Hey did you know the grocery store just, like, will let you just buy one single apple and they don't give a fuck? You're free! The cashier won't remember you in five minutes!! Buy your one single apple and work your way up to maybe two apples next time!! Also now I want an apple!!!!

Don't write. Don't write THAT. Write the other thing. No, the OTHER other thing. No, not THAT other other thing.

The rules are made up and the points don't matter.

Fuck it, we ball.

[ INSERT FULL-THROTTLE STIMMING BEHAVIOR HERE ]

Only God can judge me and I'm still technically agnostic.

God, that's the weirdest fucking idea you've ever had, literally NO ONE but you would read it. So you should write 180k of it and also make it even weirder and yes it will absolutely be the one fic that just about everyone in MCU fandom who knows you exist knows you for, don't even worry about it, this isn't based on a true story at all.

Actually you could probably storyboard this scene to figure out wtf is happening here. Or like just draw literally anything related to this story, a bit of that might work some kinks out of the whole process.

Did you get that snack yet?

Hey go pet your dog, she's very soft and wants attention and also her OWN snack. Pet your dog and eat an apple and idk watch some anime or a weird niche documentary or an even more niche reality show, have you seen Deep-Fried Dynasty yet, it's on Hulu and was surprisingly engrossing.

Why are you even following the rules, we've been over this, they are made up and the points do NOT matter, and also you're not even getting graded for this anyway.

Yeah okay that thing you wrote sucked, but it turns out that Dean Koontz somehow has a writing career and also Twilight happened to all of us, so actually even the suckiest thing you ever write is gonna be better than the perfect ideal of the scene in your head, because the suckiest thing you ever write is something OTHER people can READ. And again: Dean Koontz has a career. Colleen HOOVER has a career. And fucking good for them, they're killing it, they are fucking WRITING!! Who gives a damn anyway, fix it in editing if you're that worried about it, they call it a rough draft for a reason.

Hey if that thing doesn't work you can just, like, delete it. Or rewrite it. Or stick it in your back pocket and do something else for a while. The sunk-cost fallacy is bullshit and you don't have to listen to it.

Maybe drink some more caffeine, that'll calm you down. [ DISCLAIMER: THIS PIECE OF ADVICE TAILORED TO A PERSON WITH MORE ADHD THAN LITERALLY NINETY-FIVE PERCENT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD; THAT PERCENTAGE IS ON THE ACTUAL LEGITIMATE DIAGNOSTIC PAPERWORK ]

Seriously you can just write anything you want, nobody can stop you. Only God can judge me and I'm still technically agnostic enough that that's like, thirty-seventy odds at BEST.

God that idea is so niche and weird and niche, better tone it the fuck down to--oh wait no mass appeal means you're writing popcorn and literally no one will remember it in five minutes anyway, stop reflexively censoring yourself for some imaginary audience that will just chew straight through your one-size-fits-all story for The Content(tm) and then immediately move onto the next one without even bothering to hit "kudos" or remember anything about it later. I have written shit so weird that people still remember how weird I was TWENTY-FIVE YEARS LATER, man, and that is why literally anyone will EVER remember that you exist or wanna read your stuff or follow you to a new fandom where they don't even know the source material, fuck it, they'll wiki some shit. And also who cares anyway, it's YOUR stuff and YOU wanna read it. Your agnostically-possible god did not make you this weird and niche for no reason, don't pussy out now!!

Actually you can just write in the bath/on the bus/while waiting for your roommate to finish up with the guy running this estate sale. You've got your phone, right? Fuck it, pack a notebook. Pack an extra notebook. Pack a smaller notebook. Pack a BIGGER notebook.

It's not stupid if it works. You don't have to do what literally ANYONE else is doing, you just have to do what works.

You can literally just skip to the good part and write that, actually. Nobody's gonna throw you in writer-jail. What are we, cops?? Actually do you even need this lead-up here or do you just need to write this one specific blorbo gettin' laid REAL enthusiastically kinkily and/or maybe having a nervous breakdown sobfest over their perception of their personal self-worth and everything else is kinda just window dressing??

I mentioned the snack thing, right? Also sugar rushes are fake but sugar CRASHES are real so maybe be a little careful on that one, maybe buy some trail mix/jerky/smoked salmon, smoked salmon is SO good, smoked salmon is just objectively delicious.

Go talk somebody's ear off about what you're trying to write about. Bonus points if you can find somebody who matches your freak enough that you write, uhhhhh /checks smudged writing on wrist/ a 60k Overwatch fic in two weeks and also like 280k of Witcher fic in less than a year specifically because they're just a real good cheerleader. Wow. Wow that was a lot more Witcher fic than I was aware I had written. THE POINT IS LOOK FOR A WRITING BUDDY, WRITING BUDDIES ARE THE SHIT.

If the writing buddy doesn't work out though the first time I won NaNoWriMo I did it directly out of spite because someone said they didn't think I actually would. So like, spite is always an option, you can always keep that one on tap if you gotta.

Stephen King did not write "On Writing" because he didn't want you to write. Francesca Lia Block did not introduce you to the weirdest and gayest shit teenage!you had ever read so you'd grow up and be a fucking NORMIE about this shit. SIR TERRY PRATCHETT DID NOT WRITE LIKE SIXTEEN OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS OF ALL TIME BECAUSE HE DID NOT WANT YOU TO WRITE WHAT YOU WERE ACTUALLY FRICKIN' INTO.

Clean your room. No, better than that. Okay fuck it just set a ten-minute timer and do what you can in that time, we work with the spoons we've got.

Random number generator. Random color generator. Random "hey followers here's a very oblique poll, don't even worry about what it's about, just click a button please and thank you".

Did you know the internet will just GIVE you free graphs/trackers/bullet journal page designs and you can just print 'em out and do whatever the heck you want with 'em?? Yes my new little "color in the squares every day you do the thing" tracker IS just six daily writing tasks and two daily "just go pick some stuff up in this specific room" tasks and that is MY BUSINESS, MS. SIR AND MR. MADAM AND MX. [ INSERT BUZZER SOUND ]. And also, like, has done much better at getting me to do chores than anything else has in a minute, go fig.

You can actually just do whatever you want forever.

Literally, like just forever.

Fuck, how many times HAVE you done this? You'll never get better for good, it'll always go bad again, you'll always get sick again, you'll always get SAD again, you'll always fucking forget how to even DO this again and have to start all over.

Well yes, obviously, because you'll always have done it again. So do it again. One more time.

( seriously though did you take your meds-- )

[imaginespazzi]

Alright so I slept on it, distracted myself and I have now cooled down considerably. Since I am no longer looking at the game through completely rage-filled glasses, I can vent coherent thoughts now.

LAYUPS

FUCKING LAYUPS

Listen losing games is always hard, but the sheer stupidity that lost us this game is hard to discern in words and really starts with layups. We make literally 3 more, and we would have won. The most simplest there is in basketball and we decided that we wanted to suck at it. And look you don't make every shot, of course you don't but HOW MANY FUCKING OPEN LAYUPS CAN A TEAM MISS?

Brief positive interlude, before I start yelling: KK ARNOLD I LOVE YOU. I am so proud of this girl. A true competitor from start to finish. Never fucking scared of the moment, always ready to do everything she can.

Aubrey Griffin is starting to look like herself again. She was so good last night and everything we're used to seeing. Just keep healing bbg, we're gonna need you real bad.

Sarah Strong, consistent queen as per always but she made that freshman mistake at the end and while it would be hypocritical not to acknowledge it, I really can't hold it against her because homegirl was the only starter locked in from start to finish and for some fucking reason we didn't go to her nearly enough in the second.

And now let's get to the venting

Jana El Alfy I cannot keep defending this. YOU ARE 6 FUCKING 5. Look I have had so much to say about her not getting the time she deserves but oh my fucking god, I don't know if I can defend this anymore. Missing easy ass layups, somehow letting people a feet shorter shoot over you like??? I cannot

Kaitlyn Chen girl what the fuck are you here for? Cardio. She pleasantly surprised for me exactly two games but nope, I was right the first time. There is absolutely no reason, other than a likely promise Geno made while recruiting her, for her to be starting over KK.

Ashlynn Shade, you are so lucky girlie that you play with Paige and Azzi and they also both had shitty as fuck nights that I will address in a second because girl, that's the only thing saving you from not being lashed out into oblivion on other social media sites right now. I have absolutely no idea she was ever in the game let alone how she was getting minutes over KK. Defense? Atrocious. Offense? MISSING WIDE OPEN LAYUPS AND THREES. No one pissed me off more this game than Ash because shit should've been easy for her and instead she missed every single chance she had.

Paige saw all those tweets manifesting her freshman year Tennessee performance by a bunch of people who don't know anything else about that game except for the magical shot at the end and voila, she performed exactly like that. Maybe worse. And don't worry friends, I'll be yelling at her coach in a second but the one thing I can't complain about today is that he didn't put the ball in her hands because he did and we saw it in the assists but she didn't play up to the mark at all. And for as much as her performance was a classic case of shots not falling, her shot selection was uncharacteristically bad last night.

Y'all know that look Paige talks about when it comes to Azzi? The soft one? I saw that look on her face immediately as soon as her first shot didn't go in. And I knew it especially when KC was wide open under the basket and Azzi somehow missed her, that she was most definitely in her head. But the worst thing is, that I actually think she almost got back in rhythm, almost got rid of that look, almost got out of her head, by the end of the 2nd with the sequence of FTs > deflection > 3 and then all of that went to shit because she picked up those two quick fouls. And then she never got back into it again, partially because of her own self, partially because this team still isn't doing enough to screen for her/run plays for her and partially because her coach was doing the most ridiculous subbing routine with her. Making her play the third with 3 fouls, then she finally hits a 3 at the end AND THAT'S WHEN HE BENCHES HER? Keeps her out of the game in first 5 minutes of the 4th, lets her lose any semblance of rhythm and then subs her in? I don't even know what to say.

Geno Auriemma WHEN I FUCKING CATCH YOU

This man had the audacity to sit in the press conference and blame every fucking thing on Paige when he, our hall of fucking fame coach, made the most costly mistake of this whole game with that dumb as fuck timeout. STUPID STUPID STUPID

And then of course the lineups and substitutions, ridiculous shit.

SIGH

The worst thing is, I don't think Tennessee beat us last night. We broke the press. We held them to 7-28 from 3. The boxscore has us beating them in so many places but at the end, we beat ourselves.

And it all comes down to the fact that maybe we just don't have the mentality.

Last night really drained a lot of optimism from me but these are my girls and the potential is infinite. I'm always gonna be rooting for them and little itty bitty hopeful part of me will always think we can win it all but I think, we're gonna need a lot of things to just miraculously go right.

[lov3darlings]

saw that you wanted requests…. wb a little more fluffy take on figure skater reader x lando? maybe reader teaches him how to skate 😼 idk if this completely fits w the dynamic that you write them w tho, so if you don’t like this idea, feel free to ignore !

hav a great day :)

darlings thoughts

cw: fluff, fluff and lil sexual tension ig. obvi that 6 year age gap. also dw it does fit with the dynamic. they're the type of couple that ppl look and say 'omg he's really spoiled her.'

"i won't laugh," you promised kissing his cheek. you were trying to convince lando to go skating with you and somehow you ended up on his lap trying to bribe him with kisses.

while lando loved all of you, specially the figure skater you and your endless competitive drive. he was worried that he'd embarrass himself infront of you.

but he cannot possibly say no to you, even if he tried. besides, he's shown you all parts of him, even the parts of him that came with racing. it was only fair that he went skating with you.

"fine," he gives in. his face breaking into a smile when he sees your face light up. "but you can't laugh," he warns threading his fingers through your hairs. "i won't."

and that's how he ended up at think you train at an ungodly hour.

your laugh boomed through the empty rink, drowning out the symphony of your master and magarita program. "you said you wouldn't laugh," lando says. you skate effortlessly towards him.

"my bad," she extends out her palms for him to hold. "don't worry i got thi—" he almost slipped making you laugh harder. "come on," you grab his hands.

"you're so tensed, loosen up love," you say. "yeah, but what if i fall?" he glares at the frozen body of water beneath his skates. "you won't. i got you," you try to reassure him. "yeah like how you said you won't laugh," he scoffs at you. "well, not like that."

lando finally loosens up, standing more straight and holding onto you firmer. "see it's so much easier," you say as you skate backwards. but the older man is too busy admiring you.

he looks at you with awe as you crane your neck backwards to make sure you both won't run into the boards. the way the untucked hairs fall over your face. he moves his hand to tuck it behind your ears.

"wow," he mumbles under his breathe. "huh?" you look him. his loving gaze making you flustered. "focus on skating lando," you say. "how can i when i have this absolutely stunning angel teaching me," he cups your face.

everything blurs around you two. the symphony already died down for him even though the notes of the piano became intense. for him, it was just you and him. even forgetting he was on ice with sharp skates stapped to his feet.

"i love you," he leans down to kiss your forehead. "i love you too," you whisper adding a subtle dramatic flare to it that he missed. taking his hands in yours but slowly, retrieving your hands as you skate away.

lando stands in the middle of the rink, alone with no aid. he watched you skate away cheekily as the realization dawned upon him. he stood there with no aid. "sweetheart," he whined. "yeah?" you teased.

lando pouted, but his instincts was to follow you. taking wobbly strides to chase after you. you giggled at him but those giggles were cut short when you saw him fall.

"oh my god are you okay?" you kneel next to him. lando wraps his arms around your waist, pulling you onto him. "haha gotcha," he chuckled. "fuck off that's not fair," you rolled your eyes at him, laying down next to him on the ice.

"it's called throwing a dummy to overtake," he smirks. "but don't you think my acting was emmy worth? you were totally scared," he added. "i wasn’t," you argue.

"sure darling, whatever helps you sleep at night," he brings you closer to him. "now come on teach me how do i do that signature spin of your," he says. "yeah no, you'll risk an injury. you're not flexible enough. plus jon is gonna eat my head off if you get injured."

"makes sesne. but you, my love are very very flexible," his hands play with the hem of your sports bra. his attention finally lands on the master and magarita loop that was playing.

"you know i really love this program and the dress. we should get you more replicas of it. it's so pretty to tear it off of you," he whispers. "shut up," you hit his chest, blushing.

[sunseed-fandump]

The Tarot from the new trailer has me FLIPPING OUT (Sorry for the shitty screenshot) I was already making an analysis on the previous cards we got, but THIS has really got me doing backflips in my head because of the implications.

Let me explain.

First off, have you noticed that one of these cards is not like the others?

The first card, Strawberry Cookie, is in reverse. She is on the major arcana card XII - The Hanged Man. When the Hanged Man is in Reverse, it represents Delays, resistance, stalling, indecision, stagnation.

"The upright Hanged Man encourages you to pause for a moment and see things from a different perspective. Reversed, this card can show that you know you need to hit the pause button, but you are resisting it. Instead, you fill your days with tasks and projects, keeping busy and distracting yourself from the actual issue that needs your attention. Your spirit and body are asking you to slow down, but your mind keeps racing. Stop and rest before it’s too late. The Universe will only dial up the volume if you ignore it, and as a result, you may end up crashing. So, as soon as you hear the call, clear your schedule and make the space so you can tune in and listen."

Next we move on to Gingerbrave's card: 0 - The Fool.

In the Upright Position, the Fool represents new beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, a free spirit, and adventure.

"To see the The Fool generally means a beginning of a new journey, one where you will be filled with optimism and freedom from the usual constraints in life. When we meet him, he approaches each day as an adventure, in an almost childish way. He believes that anything can happen in life and there are many opportunities that are lying out there, in the world, waiting to be explored and developed. He leads a simple life, having no worries, and does not seem troubled by the fact that he cannot tell what he will encounter ahead."

Finally we have Wizard Cookie's card: I - The Magician.

In the Upright position, the Magician symbolizes logic, desire, resourcefulness, willpower, intelligence, skill, and manifestation.

"When you get the Magician in your reading, it might mean that it's time to tap into your full potential without hesitation. As a master manifestor, The Magician brings you the tools, resources and energy you need to make your dreams come true. Now is the perfect time to move forward on an idea that you recently conceived. The seed of potential has sprouted, and you are being called to take action and bring your intention to fruition. The skills, knowledge and capabilities you have gathered along your life path have led you to where you are now, and whether or not you know it, you are ready to turn your ideas into reality."

So what do these 3 cards mean together? Well, we have someone who is stagnating, who is stuck and unable to move forward. But they go through a rebirth - an epiphany - and start on the path of a new journey. And on that new path they unlock their full potential.

This is Pure Vanilla Cookie's story in the next update in a nutshell!

Sorry for the sorta long post, i just wanted to geek out about this since I love love love it when Tarot is used as a narrative device :)

[fayes-fics]

The Wonderful Unexpected: Chapter 2

Masterpost PREV | NEXT

Pairings: Anthony Bridgerton x fem!reader, Benedict Bridgerton x fem!reader (future chapters), Modern AU

Chapter Summary: Who are all these people? And how did you end up someone's fiancee?!

artwork by me

Warnings: none, really... character is in a coma, but injuries are not life-threatening.

Word Count: 3.2k

Author's Note: Chapter 2 of our story. After the mugging, Anthony is in hospital, and there is a confusing development as the Bridgerton clan arrives en masse. In this AU Violets father, Lord Ledger. is still alive and I’ve given him the first name Victor. Please see the masterpost for a synopsis. Thank you to @colettebronte for slogging through two versions of this; seriously, she's my hero. Please enjoy! <3

Everything is a blur when you arrive at St Thomas’s Hospital. The ambulance was on the scene so fast - the lack of traffic on Christmas Day likely helped with that to no end. Before you know it, you are being told to step aside as medics swarm around his stretcher.

“What’s his name?” A hawkish man in scrubs rapidly fires at you as he checks pupil reactivity.

“I um, l-l, l don't know,” you stumble as they wheel him into Casualty. 

“You don't know his name?!”

“I… I..”

“Are you family?” His brusque tone just makes you even more halting. “Family only.”

“No, you don't understand, l was…”

“You cannot come further if you are not family. Wait out there.” He snaps tersely, jabbing a finger towards the waiting area, looking at you almost angrily. 

Feeling helpless, you catch a final glimpse of your Prince Charming being wheeled beyond some double doors.

“Oh, l was gonna marry him….” you sigh under your breath. 

The next thing you know, a friendly-looking nurse with Dorset on his name badge is guiding you to the waiting area.

—

“Miss? Please come with me…”.

You startle awake, not realising you had drifted off. Mildly discombobulated, you get up and follow Nurse Dorset on instinct, hobbling slightly, your body stiff from napping on the hard, uncomfortable plastic chairs. It doesn't even occur to you to ask where he is taking you or why. 

You are led down the corridor and, a few minutes later, ushered into a fancy-looking wing you never even knew existed. Then on into a private ICU room. There, among a raft of beeping machines, is your Prince Charming. He looks so peaceful, even with an ugly bruise on his forehead and a small cut on his stubbed lower lip.

“Come on, over here,” Dorset beckons with an encouraging mien as you hover close to the door. “Let him hear your voice.”

Before you can even say anything, Dorset is called out of the room, and you are left alone for a few seconds, staring at the man who has been the star of your spicier dreams for months now—with no idea what to say.

—

“Is that the woman who saved his life?” The doctor queries, staring through the porthole in the door at the back of your head.

“Yep. But it’s even better,” Dorset grins gleefully. “She’s his fiancee…”

—

“Hi... I…”  you reach for your man’s hand, an instinct to comfort.

Anything else you might say is interrupted as the door sweeps open and a doctor strides in.

“Hello, Miss, I'm Doctor Samuels.”

“Hi, I'm....”

But your response is cut off, this time by a large gaggle of people barging into the room.  

“Where is he? Where is my son?” An elegant woman in her fifties harries.

“You can't come bursting into this unit!” A harassed-looking medical receptionist bustles in after them. Who they all seem to roundly ignore.

“This is my son,” the lady addresses the doctor, her elegant features looking pinched with concern. “How is he?” 

“He'll be alright? Right doctor?” A handsome man with a smooth voice queries, wrapping an arm around the lady, seeking reassurance for her.

“What happened? What's going on?” An elderly man who looks vaguely confused about his surroundings peers around them.

The doctor signals to the receptionist all is okay with a nod then turns to the gathered crowd.

“He's in a coma….” they begin.

“On Christmas Day?!” The elderly man interjects lamentingly.

“He is stable. His vital signs are strong, and his brain waves are good," the doctor continues as the man mouths a concerned ‘brain waves?’ at the lady, looking very worried. “We are running tests, but the prognosis looks promising so far. We believe he is going to get through this.”

“He’s such an idiot….”

“How did this happen?”

You can't even keep up with who is saying what anymore. They are all talking over each other. 

“He was mugged in the street,” Dorset pipes up in answer to the last question.

You didn't even see him re-enter the room. It is like you are watching a film unfold right before your eyes, forgetting momentarily that you are actually in the room with them. Well, that is until the next person speaks up.

“Who's she?” A stately looking slightly older woman queries, standing apart from the rest, her eagle eye on you, pointing at you with the tip of her cane.

“She's his fiancee….” Nurse Dorset responds, looking puzzled.

All their heads whip towards you, comedically in sync.

“His fiancee?” A teenage boy scoffs. You hadn't even seen him until now.

“Anthony's fiancee?” The first lady who spoke - his mum - looks at you in utter disbelief.

“Anthony's engaged?” The elderly man, likely her father based on the family resemblance, echoes.

Well, at least your Prince Charming has a name. Anthony. Somehow, it really suits him.

“Yes, I thought….” Nurse Dorset seems just as perplexed as they are, and you know you need to intervene.

“No, you don't understand….” you try again, but you are drowned out in the chaotic scene.

“Wait. Whaaaaaat? Why didn't he tell us?!” The teenage girl has a look of complete glee about the unfolding drama.

“He should have told us.” The lady with the cane corrects, tapping it on the ground, looking peeved.

“Maybe he was busy?” The younger of the men shrugs.

“Too busy to tell his own mother he's getting married?!” The first woman outbursts, staring down at Anthony as if expecting an answer from him.

“Don't shout at him!” The old man scolds.

“I'm not shouting at him, Papa,” she snaps before tilting her head back and sighing. “If only Benedict were here…”

There are a few moments where they just bicker amongst themselves, almost as if you are not in the room again. Then, in the midst of all the commotion, the old gentleman suddenly grabs the end of the bed frame, his complexion paling, as the teenage girl reaches for him.

“Grandpa?”

“Is he alright?” The doctor looks up from the chart and at him askance.

“He's got a heart problem,” the lady with the cane mutters, trying not to be overheard. “He's had three attacks already.”

The old man seems to rally a touch, shooting her a disagreeing glance. “They were not attacks, Agatha. They were episodes,” he disputes.

“Nothing wrong with his hearing,” Agatha asides, and you suspect there must be some history between them.

“Excuse me, Doctor. What is she doing here?” 

It's the man from before in the scrubs, staring disapprovingly at you. The one who would not allow you to accompany Anthony earlier. Just the latest entrant into this merry-go-round of people in the room.

Nurse Dorset scowls at him. “ She saved his bloody life, Cowper, remember?”

“You saved his life?” Violet looks at you anew, eyes wide.

Before you can reply Agatha cuts in. “l thought he was mugged?”

“He was. They knocked him out, stole his watch. Left him in the middle of the road. She dragged him to safety, avoiding the street sweeper.” Dorset explains, grinning at you proudly. He must have gotten the story from the ambulance crew while you were napping.

“You dragged him out of the road?” Marcus looks just as incredulous now, sizing up how you could have moved a six-foot athletic man.

You go to answer, but as practically expected by now, you aren't even able to start your sentence.

“Doctor, it's supposed to be family only,” Cowper sneers.

“She IS family.” Violet attests, stepping forward purposefully and looking steely at him.

Something warm spreads in your chest at the very thought, but you also cannot lie anymore.

“Okay, look, l-l'm sorry. You, you don't understand…” you begin to protest.

Before you know it, she has grabbed you and pulled you into a motherly embrace. She smells of fresh cotton and lilacs.

“I'm so sorry, my dear. Anthony is a complete workaholic. We haven't seen him for a long time, so we didn't know he had a new relationship...” She apologises softly into your hair as she squeezes you so tight. 

You should be the one asking forgiveness for this complete mix-up. But there is a lump in your throat that steals your voice. Something about her motherly embrace makes you incapable of replying.

“I always wanted him to find a nice girl,’ she smiles, cupping your jaw. “I'm just so glad he found you.”

Oh fuckity fuck.

—

A few minutes later, you finally manage to escape and catch up to Nurse Dorset, grabbing his sleeve.

“Why did you say that?! I'm not his fiancee!”

He looks shocked. “Why did you tell me that you were?!” 

“I didn't! I've never even spoken to him! Not really. I just pulled him out of the road, that's all!”

“But…but when you arrived, you said, you said you were gonna marry him?” Dorset counters.

And you suddenly realise where all this confusion started from—your silly, offhand comment.

“Bloody hell,” you exhale, “l was just… talking to myself…”

“Well, next time you talk to yourself, tell yourself you're single and end the conversation,” he suggests, rather unhelpfully.

You exchange looks for a beat.

“Excuse me, nurse. Is there a pharmacy in the hospital?” Agatha materialises next to you.

Dorset buffers briefly before inquiring: “What do you need?”

“Victor. He wants nitroglycerin.”

“Oh, for his heart problem?”

“Problem? Problems, my dear, plural…” She replies sardonically before she turns her attention to you. “l think you saved his life. In fact, l think you saved the whole family,” she states somewhat enigmatically before tapping her cane. “Why don't you come with me?”

It's said in a tone that brokers no argument and so dutifully you follow.

—

By the time you are back in the waiting room, a much fancier one in this private wing, Agatha has explained who everyone is. You learn that Anthony’s mother’s name is Violet. That Marcus is her partner. Victor is indeed her father, and the teenagers are her youngest - Hyacinth and Gregory. Anthony is apparently her oldest child, and you can see it. She must have been very young when she had him. Agatha doesn't elucidate her relationship to the family, and you don't pry, guessing she might be related to Marcus somehow.

Just as you sense she is about to grill you, to your relief, the others spill into the waiting room while Anthony is taken for more tests.

“So, tell us the story of how you two met…” Victor grins as he drops into a soft chair, his relief at being seated palpable.

“I doubt she wants to talk about that right now,” Violet contends diplomatically as if intuiting your desire to stay quiet.

“Why not? We could all do with a nice story while we wait,” Victor shrugs.

“How do you know it’s nice?” Agatha needles him.

“Of course it is. Why shouldn't it be nice?” He contends, shooting her a somewhat flirtatious look. Which she pretends to ignore, but you don't miss the ghost of a smile twitching her lip.

“What about that other one? What's her name? The one we bumped into him with outside The Ivy?” Agatha frowns, gesturing to Violet as if she can help with her recall. “Do you remember? He got all sheepish. Couldn't wait to get her away from us.”

“What's that got to do with the price of apples?” Victor throws out.

“Siena Rosso,” Marcus answers, pulling a face as if the name itself is an insult to his sensibilities.

“Marcus..!” Violet chastises softly.

“What? All l know, my love, is that she was a tad conceited for someone who makes their living dancing on TikTok,” he comments drily. 

“Well, he has a nice girl now,” she dismisses, smiling benevolently and grabbing your hand, squeezing it gently. 

There’s that lump in your throat again.

“So, did you-- did you steal him from Siena?” Hyacinth’s face is impish and gossip-hungry as she flops onto the seat next to you, raising an eyebrow.

“l bet it was love at first sight.” Victor smiles at you avuncularly. “l have a sense about these things.”

“Grandpa, let her speak,” Hyacinth whines, rolling her eyes.

“She is telling it.” he counters, shooting you a wink. “l bet he picked you up in that Aston Martin.”

“What was it about him that first caught your attention?” Violet asks, looking almost doe-eyed. You can tell she is a romantic soul, and you have to answer without artifice.

“It was his, uh, smile,” you admit, your tone wistful as you recall the first time you saw it, knowing your cheeks are heating.

“His teeth are fake,” Gregory chips in, looking up from his phone for the first time.

“No, they aren't,” Violet hushes him before turning her attention back to you, her hazy blue eyes so expectant, willing you to go on.

“Well, um…” 

You feel your heart thumping as all of their attention is on you now—his whole family, a loving, spirited, close-knit bunch. You find yourself again not wanting to lie. You will just have to be vague. 

“We saw each other, and, um, he smiled. And, well, l knew that my life would just never be the same…”

You are mildly impressed with your own ability to fudge the details, but then your dreamy look whenever you think of him undoubtedly helps. They all smile and settle back into their chairs, seemingly happy with your answer. You take a sip of your lukewarm tea and stare up at the tiny TV hanging from the ceiling in the corner, silently playing The Snowman, and you swallow hard.

How on earth am I going to tell them the truth now?

—

It's 6pm by the time you get back to your flat, an hour’s walk away from the hospital. There’s no Tube or buses on Christmas Day. Despite the dreary cold, you actually think the long walk helped. It gave you time to decompress from the most dramatic Christmas Day you’ve ever had. But it got you no closer to working out what you can do to tell Anthony’s family the truth. You feel you have to tell them but have no idea how to even broach the subject now.

Alby is in the hallway when you open the door, a novelty Santa hat perched on his head, the smell of food and the sounds of a dispute leaking out from the doorway to his flat. He had mentioned his dad’s relatives would be coming over to keep him company on his first Christmas alone. He, however, appears to be attempting to glue the hallway table back together. 

“Escaping for a few?”

Your guess startles him from his reverie, but he looks inordinately pleased to see you.

“Y/n! Happy Christmas! There’s some big argument about the best way to roast potatoes,” he rues. “So I thought it best to deploy myself elsewhere.”

He gestures to the table. The fixed leg looks, well, not great. Botched really. It’s definitely uneven now. 

“What do you think?”

You don't have the heart to be truthful.

“It looks as good as Christmas Day…” you offer opaquely, aiming for breezy.

“Thanks!” he beams and gives a double thumbs up as you ascend the stairs. 

He doesn't need to know its apt metaphor for the complete shitshow this Christmas Day has been. You can already hear Chairman Meow’s loud protests that you have dared to leave him alone all day.

—

After the delight of Wallace and Gromit over a microwave meal, you head to bed. But it’s a sleepless night of tossing and turning, haunted by sudden flashes of the mugging, imagining awful versions where you are not able to help him. So around 5am, you give up, knowing the buses will start running soon; you throw on your coat and head back to the hospital, something in you needing to see him safe, to know he is being cared for.

The ward is quiet, apart from the rhythmic beep of machines when you arrive. As you get to his room, you leave the door propped open. Collapsing into the chair at his bedside, you watch his handsome face, so peaceful in repose, for a few moments before speaking. 

“Hi. I guess you're wondering what I'm doing here?” you open with an ironic smile before continuing. “Well, l thought l should introduce myself properly. I’m y/n. You might vaguely recognise me; I'm the one who sometimes makes your daily espresso. Anyway, sooooo, a bit of a mix-up. Your family - they are lovely by the way - they think we're engaged. Dunno about you, but never been engaged before. Not sure about this ring?” 

You hold up your bare left hand jokingly and laugh incongruously at the absurdity of the situation before changing tack.

“l came back here to tell you the truth. Yep, I know that's silly because you probably can't hear me. But I couldn't sleep and needed to tell someone. So you are that someone. Lucky you, eh? Anyway, l didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just wanted to check you were okay after the mugging. And then things all went a bit pear-shaped. Still not quite sure what happened myself, if I’m honest, but… here we are. Y’know, if you had any inkling of self-defence, we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. Sorry. Not blaming you. But, okay, well, I sort of am…”

You reach out to pat the back of his hand reflexively in apology for your gallows humour, but you linger. His skin is so soft and warm under your fingertips. It's been a while since you touched a man’s hand, and it makes something jolt in your gut. Perhaps it’s the lack of sleep after a crazy day, or maybe it’s just something about him, a sudden compulsion to tell him more about yourself. 

“I guess I’m like so many people my age: still confused about where my life should be. Trying to be a filmmaker, but that is not really going anywhere, as you can no doubt tell from my stellar barista skills.”

You chuckle sarcastically and sit back in the chair, crossing your legs.

“I can’t really complain. My life is not bad. l have a cat, Chairman Meow; he's the best animal in the world, and I will accept no evidence to the contrary. I have the aforementioned job, which just about covers the heating bill and my Deliveroo addiction. l have a flat all to myself thanks to some inheritance. Which means sole possession of the remote control - very crucial. It's just... well…”

You pause, not sure you should voice it, but seem unable to stop the truth from spilling out.

“If you tell anyone this, I will have to kill you, but… okay, yes, I'm a little lonely. I’ve never met anybody that l could laugh with, share the sofa with, hell even the remote with. Just sitting together in a happy silence? I want that. That person who just… knows you…”

The wistfulness has you staring at his long, dark lashes, almost willing his eyes to open.

“Now all that person has to do is dump the perfect dancer that they are with,” you jest pointedly, recalling the Siena his family mentioned earlier. “And realise that you are, in fact, the one that they just want to be, well, boring with.”

That last line gives you the mortifying realisation of how ridiculous you sound, even to yourself, talking to a comatose man predawn on Boxing Day. You definitely need some sleep.

“Have you ever been so alone you spent Christmas confusing a man in a coma?” You deadpan as a parting line, deciding it's best to leave this poor man and his family alone. You can just be a strange anecdote they talk about for years to come: the unknown woman who turned up on Christmas Day claiming to be his fiancee and then just disappeared. 

But as you stand up and pull on your coat, what you do not see behind you in the doorway is Agatha Danbury, a look of understanding washing over her face. 

She heard every word you said.

masterlist • wips • taglist (must follow this blog to be tagged)

Taglist pt 1: @makaylan @longingintheuniverse @iboopedyournose @colettebronte @aintnuthinbutahounddog @severewobblerlightdragon @writergirl-2001 @heeyyyou @enichole445 @enchantedbytomandhenry @ambitionspassionscoffee @chaoticcalzoneranchsports @nikaprincessofkattegat @baebee35 @crowleysqueenofhell @queenofmean14 @fiction-is-life @lilacbeesworld @broooookiecrisp @queen-of-the-misfit-toys @eleanor-bradstreet @divaanya @musicismyoxygen84 @miindfucked @sorryallonsy @cayt0123 @hottytoddyhistory @elizah99 @fictionalmenloversblog @debheart @zinzysstuff @malpalgalz @amanda08319 @panhoeofmanyfandoms @kinokomoonshine @causeimissu @delehosies @m-rae23 @last-sheep @kmc1989 @fern-reads @corpseoftrees-queen @magical-spit @bunnyweasley23

[tirededandgay]

Fun facts about my TEAPs AU!!

Eclipse has a soul, no, like an actual soul. It's a version of Cassidy, named Susie Edwards, who was Moon's biggest fan and first kill...or IG kill codes since Moon has no memory of it. I have its cause of death fully written out for me to draw...eventually...(I also changed Susie's design recently!)

Susies death happened on the 4th week the daycare was open, they were a HUGE fan of Moon and hated Sun, and they were also the problem child...biting kids...bullying kids...breaking toys, throwing fits...the works.

So, one night while in time out after biting Suns rays and throwing scissors at one of the other kids, it drew a "Better sun" *Cough cough*...just what Eclipse looks like *cough cough* and waited until naptime(hiding in the ballpit) to show it to Moon. While bragging, Moon picked them up(practically breaking their arm counting by the fact he was holding it by the arm) and then dropped them down from as high as you can go into the ballpit.

Their head hit the edge of the ballpit and they died from impact.

They were tethered to killcode out of spite and didn't gain full conscious until "Eclipse" gained control.

Going to present time, Eclipse HATES going soul form, but if he did his body would power off and then Susie...exsists! The problem is Susie is chained to the body(literally) meaning he cannot get more than a few steps away.

He died at 14, and sees himself as responsible for Charlie and the stitchlets rather than their parental figure.

Eclipse is TERRIFIED of heights. He will squeal like a little girl if he ascends too high. Thats why Charlie puts him in air jail whenever he gets a bit too mean.

His shadow looks like his ghost, which can be creepy when he's asleep and his shadow is just smiling at you. That is also why Charlie can sense him.

Also Andrew is forever banned from Monty Golf.

PT:2, a QNA!! ask me about any TEAPS character and ill respond! with this AU!! Also I need AU name ideas lol

[cloverapple]

How To Let Go

First things first; drop the idea that reading this will magically make you shift. If you’re here thinking “Oh, I’ll read this, I’ll let go, and then I’ll shift” stop! right! there! I know you want to shift, I know you want to get your desire, but you are missing the whole point of why you want to let go in the first place!

Second if all; there’s no one way to let go because there’s no one thing you’re letting go of. And that’s where most people trip up. You hear it everywhere:

”Just let go!”

“Release!”

“Detach!”

Like it’s some effortless switch you can flip on command regardless of how your unique mind works 😑

And then when you can’t, you start to feel like a failure, like you cannot accomplish this very basic thing that everyone seems to be doing so effortlessly.

Well my darling, listen to me: this is not your fault. You not being able to let go has nothing to do with how capable you are, how lucky you are, or how “primed” your mind is. None of that.

The mind fixates. That’s what it does. If shifting is a huge desire for you, you don’t just drop it overnight. If your DR is playing on a loop in your head, of course you’re going to latch onto it. If every time you go to bed, you secretly hope to wake up in your DR, your brain is still holding on. And yeah, it sucks. Because suddenly your dedication feels like a burden. You start asking “Why can’t I just let go? What’s wrong with me?”

Been there, felt that.

I’m going to tell you exactly why letting go is something anyone can do, and how you can start immediately—without the mental stress that usually comes with it.

But first, let’s clear something up: Letting go is not a quick fix for shifting. It’s not some miracle pill that guarantees success. For some people, yes, letting go is the missing piece. But for others, the real problem isn’t that they need to let go—it’s that they need trust and patience in themselves. And because they’ve been told that “letting go” is the thing to do, they beat themselves up for not being able to do it. When in reality, they were fine all along.

So first of all, figure out if letting go is what you actually need in your journey. If it's not, and you suddenly remember that you’ve found success while holding on, great! If not, let's move on.

So, what does “letting go” actually mean?

A lot of people hear it and think it means quitting, cutting shifting out of their lives, turning away from their DR, walking away completely. And yeah, that is one way to let go. But it’s not the only way. Let’s break it down the different ways there are to let go:

• Letting go of trying to shift – A.K.A what I talked about in this post. You still think of your DR, you still daydream, maybe you meditate at night with no intention to shift, you go about it like you already have it because you do. Stop it. Stop trying to shift.

• Letting go of expectation – You keep doing your methods, you stick to your routine, but you drop the pressure. No more “when will it happen?” You do it just because you enjoy it. You stop putting a deadline on shifting. You let go of when it will happen and just let it unfold.

• Letting go of your DR – You still shift, but you step back from your DR itself. Maybe you try a different DR for fun, maybe you explore WRs or fun, relaxing realities. You turn your focus elsewhere.

• Letting go of shifting itself – You stay in tune with expanding your awareness, but you do this by focusing on lucid dreaming, astral projection, or any other practice for a while. You take the pressure off shifting entirely by trying something new.

• The ‘fuck this shit’ mentality – You throw your hands up and stop giving a damn. Ironically, this one works better than you’d think.

• Letting go of perfection – You don’t need to do everything perfectly, follow every method flawlessly, or maintain some imagined “high vibrational state” 24/7. Stop striving for an ideal and just exist.

• Letting go of comparison – Stop looking at other people who claim to have shifted and measuring yourself against them. Their journey is not yours, and comparison only fuels frustration. Can you imagine driving your car, on the way to go pick up your brand new sport’s car, but you keep looking out the window because someone in the next lane is already driving a sport’s car?? YOU’RE GOING TO CRASH. EYES ON THE ROAD.

• Letting go of guilt – If you feel bad for not shifting yet, for wanting a break, or for feeling stuck, release that guilt. You don’t owe shifting anything. Shifting is you. You don’t owe yourself anything other than peace, trust and love.

• Letting go of attachment to results – Focus on the process rather than the outcome. Enjoy the journey, the experiences, and the growth that come with it. This is the thing I wish I knew at the very start of my journey, not because it would have made me shift faster, but because in hindsight, there’s so much fun in figuring out what works for you, discovering yourself, and the excitement pre-shifting to your DR.

• Letting go of fear – Fear of failure, fear of missing out, fear of doing something wrong, fear of shifting (which warrants another post in itself). Releasing fear allows for a more open, relaxed mindset.

• Letting go of overthinking and self-doubt – Stop analyzing every little thought, feeling, or experience. Your mind doesn’t need to be in constant problem-solving mode. You already know how to shift. You already have your desire/ your desire will manifest in the 3D. You are a creator. You are the god of your reality. If overthinking and stressing out solved anything, no one in the world would have problems.

• Letting go of rules – There are no strict guidelines for shifting. You don’t have to follow what someone else says. Make your own path.

But how do you actually let go?

When you let go, you do so from one of three places: peace, exhaustion, or indifference. To truly let go, you need to lean into one of these.

1. Peace – If what your mind craves is peace, you let go by accepting that your desires are either already yours or inevitably coming. You trust your ability to create and shift, so you stop chasing and start relaxing. Letting go from this state means stepping back, breathing easy, and knowing there’s nothing more you need to do—just be.

"Oh, easier said than done!" Yeah, that’s why we have the next two.

2. Exhaustion – If you’ve reached the point where you’re just tired, use it. Letting go through exhaustion means recognizing that you physically and mentally can’t keep stressing over this anymore. You’ve burned yourself out, and the only thing left to do is stop. Stop trying so hard, stop overthinking, stop forcing. Let yourself collapse into that exhaustion and let go because you have no energy left to hold on.

3. Indifference – This is the "fuck it" approach. Letting go through indifference means deciding that you simply do not care anymore—about shifting, about waiting, about the whole damn thing. Not in a bitter way, not in a frustrated way, just… whatever. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, you’ll be fine. You’ve got a life to live, and you’re not about to waste it worrying over something that isn’t here yet.

No matter which one you lean into, the result is the same: freedom. You stop gripping so tightly. You stop making shifting feel like a desperate struggle. And in that space—wherever you land—letting go happens naturally.

There’s no right or wrong way to let go

Think of it as a spectrum. You let go at your own pace, in a way that feels right for you. Because here’s the truth—holding onto your DR, staying in the cycle of frustration, it hurts. But it’s also comfortable. It’s familiar. And the mind loves familiarity.

Everyone has something different they need to let go of. For some, it’s their attachment to results. For others, it’s the pressure to be perfect. Maybe it’s the need to control the process or the fear of what happens if they succeed. Letting go isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution/It’s about recognizing what is keeping you stuck and unhappy, and making the conscious choice to release it.

So, instead of forcing yourself to drown in the ocean of your desire, because you thought throwing youself in would force yourself to know how to shift, just grab a floatie. You already know how to swim. You just have to remember, and until you do, relax and let go.

[adormeee]

through a window…

(mean!popular!reader x loser!guitarist!chris)

꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ

You were trying to get ready for a dinner you planned with your friends, but no matter how loud you turned your music up, you still heard chris playing his guitar.

of course the deal was when he played with his band he would text you but no, he was alone in his room practicing whatever guitar players practice.

You’ve just had enough of it, you look through your window seeing chris sitting on his bed so locked in. you find something small on your nightstand you can throw.

Just as your about to throw the small item to his window he looks up, his eyes lock in on yours. You signal him to open his window up. he complies as he walks over to the window infront of yours and opens it up.

“i don’t know if you could tell which you probably wouldn’t- but um i cant stilll hear your stupid guitar.” Chris’s face reddens, he didn’t want to make you upset.

but your little pouty lips mesmerize him, how could one be so beautiful while being so ma-

“christopher hello?! seriously are you even listening to me?!!” you huff, crossing your arms over your chest.

“uh wha- yeah i am” chris stumbles over his words, he wouldn’t think he would be talking to you not at all today.

“you seriously need to tell me when you play your little instrument, i can’t think when you play it!” you exclaim trying to express your anger towards him.

“right i’ll be sure to let you know” he flashes a quick smile, you slightly squint your eyes feeling frustrated. “oh i hope you do cause i did not give you my number for no reason.”

Chris was just about to speak until matt comes into his room disrupting “kid dinn… what the fuck are you doing?” he looks towards the window seeing you with your hair rollers and silk rope.

You smile and wave towards the guitarist a quite different demeanor from when you were with chris, matt completely confused finish’s his sentence “uh ok..? dinners ready”.

Matt walks out fully confused but heads downstairs greeting his mom “did you already tell chris about dinner?” she questions him “yup he’s just being a weirdo and talking to that girl next door.”

Chris’s mom is shocked hearing this she knows chris isn’t the best with girls especially girls like you.

“sounds like your brother finally is getting the ladies!” matt’s face scrunches up thinking about his brother being with any girl.

“mom please that girl is so selfish” matt rolls his eyes, “sounds like someone’s jealous” she tells matt as she serves him a plate of food.

‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.

Meanwhile upstairs chris is listening to you talk– well he’s trying but he cannot stop starting at you, everything your saying is coming out one ear to the other.

You still don’t feel like you are getting your point across no matter how much you’re telling him all you get from him are nods.

“yknow what chris it’s fine, it’s fine” you take a deep breath in before continuing “ i have to be somewhere soon and i can’t waste my time talking to you, so please do both of us a favor and keep your hobbies on the down low.”

you shout as you rapidly shut your window, you turn around back pressed against you the window. wondering how a supposed fun weeknd turned into the biggest migraine of your life.

on the other hand chris is left there dumbfounded, he didn’t think his weekend would’ve gotten him at least two conversations with you. maybe if luck is on his side you’ll talk to him in school.

꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ ꣑ৎ

a/n: for me taking so long this is not my best work but i had like three different ideas before i chose this… yikesss🐰

taglist: @mialovesyouchris @sturniolosymphony @courta13

[8-rae-rae-8]

Hii!! Fic request if they are still open! (I see it says open but I’ll overthink it regardless)

CG: John Price

Little: John “Soap” MacTavish (with maybe the others being side character littles in the background)

Classification AU

What if Price was the mama/dada/bubba(or anything else) to Ghost and Gaz, but Soap already had a CG when he joined the Task Force. But the more and more Price talks and hears Soap talk about his CG, the more he realizes the relationship really isn’t… healthy. Instead of facing Soap head on about the problem, he does what he does best, be the caregiver Soap actually needed. The one that did listen to him and all his questions, was interested whenever he showed off his toys one by one, but more importantly, he actually took care of him just like he did for Ghost and Gaz.

I hope this is something you may be interested in writing!! Thank you if you do or do not regardless!

This is actually canon to me (and my anons) classification AU,,,, anon how did you know

I will say that I cannot write it at the moment and I've felt so bad keeping it in my inbox 😭😭 JUST KNOW THAT IVE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT IT

This idea is almost exactly the same to the one my anons and I yap about in our server,, 👀👀

I'll give you a short ramble about it 🫶 since I've got nothing else in my brain. It's like the DVD logo bouncing back and forth in there

It's not a mystery that something is off in Johnny's life. Like the others, getting Soap to open up is a big deal. It takes time, months, to trust anyone with such sensitive things. The smallest mentions of hurt send Price's Caregiver instincts through the roof. It's always an off comment about nothing in particular, but it catches in John's brain to never be forgotten.

He'd never force any of his Littles to talk about anything they don't want to. Kyle came to him, and it felt like Johnny always stood just out of reach. Simon.. he's still getting there. He's a good mama, Kyle says so—He prides himself on that. Being good for his boys.

And seeing Johnny, standing just past the doorway with sad eyes, as Kyle cuddles up to him breaks his heart. The Little is missing something, he can tell that much. What Johnny's missing, though, he doesn't say. He can invite him over a million times, but he only shuffles away and seems to hide.

The tears in his blue eyes remind him of the ocean, a harsh, unstoppable force. There's not many times Johnny ever let Price be there for him, not at the beginning at least. It was scary for someone so small to look up and ask for help he knows he may not ever get. He can't dry the tears that keep falling when Johnny keeps pushing him away.

It's always something about how his Caregiver would be upset. But it doesn't sit right in John's stomach. Something about that is wrong. Why would a Caregiver be upset about their little getting help? Like a parent getting angry when someone comforts their kid. It's the same situation, but wrapped with a different bow.

He's still hesitant now, scared to step into John's space, especially if Kyle was next to him, or just small in any capacity. But sometimes, just sometimes, he'll stumble into Price's lap and let him wipe away the tears.

Each confession that falls from his quivering lips feels like another stab in his chest. Everything from Johnny not wanting to go home, to broken cries that 'it's gonna hurt'. Whatever it is, the captain wants to destroy it.

All he can do is be there, rock Johnny in his arms while the Little cries and cries over a monster Price can't get his hands on. There's nothing he can do right now, not with Johnny in his lap—everything he could do required accessing Soap's file, and working for ages to find whatever monster was making this Little wail for something to protect him.

That night, when he cradled Johnny in his arms before bed, he promised to make it better. He kissed his forehead and promised. He'll be there, he'll make the hurt go away. He'll clean each wound and kiss the owies until they're all better.

And for the first time in a while, he didn't hear Johnny cry from the next room over.

It goes like that for a while. A crash, a drop, a panic attack. And John's always there. He always will be. Even as his nights are spent trying to figure out ways to get a monster out of his Little's life. He's the blanket of safety Johnny's been needing his entire life. He'll be that for all three of them.

There's days where things are extra difficult, where John has to blink away his own tears as Johnny talks about how he didn't get to eat the last time he saw his Caregiver because he was bad. He talks about it like it's the most normal thing on earth...

But, there's also days where he wakes up to hear Johnny and Kyle giggling together at whatever they're doing—Watching something on TV, or playing with toys... Price didn't realize how many dinosaur toys they had until they all were suddenly out in the middle of the floor.

But it heals his heart a little, and he knows it does the same for Johnny. Even if there's still a long road ahead.

[soyforramen]

Apologies, my brain has latched onto a new fandom and just. Cannot process until I vomit this out. So buckle up babes, it's a long one. All apologies in advance.

Complete change of timelines where Madam Yu is the one to find Wei Wuxian, or rather her maids do. They're sent out to Yiling for like... cultivation things, night hunt, secret assassinations, or whatever. They find him very soon after his parents die, early enough that he's just barely on the streets for a few months. Jinzhu and Yinzhu hear about the death of a cultivator who trained under Baoshen Sanren and that her child was recently kicked out, such a shame, but who can feed any more mouths the winter after a bad harvest?

So Jinzhu slips out, finds the kid and they abscond back to Lotus Pier. As they show up they're like, wait out here kid, we've got work to do. And as he's waiting, Jiang Yanli comes up with tea for her mother and is like ??? And Wei Ying imprints on her the moment she gives him a few biscuits and tells him she makes him laugh. So when she goes into the room, Wei Ying follows her in and Jinzhu and Yinzhu are like.

Oh. Right. We found this kid and his mom is supposed to be that lady you really didn't like back in the day, what do you want us to do with him? And Madam Yu at first is like,

But then she sees how starry eyed he is over Jiang Yanli and Madame Yu has a light bulb moment of seeing him waiting for Jiang Yanli to tell him what to do and is like. Wait. And looks betwen Jinzhu and Yinzhu and is like. Wait.

She tells them she's going to adopt him and immediately goes and gets that done. When Jiang Fengmian finds out she tells him to go find his own orphan and just shuffles Wei Ying over to stay with Jinzhu and Yinzhu. (It's not like he's stopped her before, and it's not like he can now. Besides, she found him first. Don't you have a sect to run?)

So now Wei Wuxian is going to be raised alongside Jiang Yanli rather than Jiang Cheng. The twins start to train him and raise him, and eventually he tries calling Jinzhu Mom and Yinzhu Auntie in public and they're both like.

Don't call me that. We are not related. But inside they're all.

It doesn't help that he's quick to learn and sweet, and they're quick to praise him and correct him in an age appropriate way even though they're still really strict and seemingly cold to him. (Wei Wuxian had to get it from somewhere is all I'm saying.) But also they make sure he's fed and clothed and has proper training and an education.

It's constantly impressed upon him that Jiang Yanli is his sister and that he needs to protect her and she'll take care of him in return. Madam Yu especially does her best to make sure they bond, because if her daughter is to marry into Jinlintai, she's damn sure going to have more protection than just a coterie of maids and random Jiang disciples. Especially since it's becoming clear to everyone that there's something wrong with Jiang Yanli's overall health, and there's some chronic pain and fatigue that hits her every so often. So if she had someone who knew her best and could take care of her throughout her life...

Since Wei Wuxian is only five and Jiang Yanli is only a few years older than him it will be similar to how the Meishan Yu heirs are raised alongside their own bodyguards. (I have this image that the Meishan Yu Clan is like a snake, in that they move quietly and lurk in the shadows until they strike, which would also explain a lot as to why Madame Yu is called the Purple Spider.)

As he grows up, Wei Wuxian is still an absolute chaos demon, only this time the first time he tries pranking anyone and he's caught, the twins make him do twice the amount of training and subtly imply that the reason he's being punished is not the fact that he's being silly with harmless pranks, but the fact that he got caught at all.

So they train him in the Meishan Yu way, which is far more covert and focused on getting in quick and dealing with things, and in the Jiang swordplay, which is focused on speed and agility. Meaning he's good with a sword, much better than good, but he's not at the same level as he is in MDZS OG. But he's also got an extensive collection of daggers, stilettos, hidden talismans, and fighting dirty and shamelessly.

Jiang Cheng is jealous that Jiang Yanli now has another brother, and that Wei Ying is monopolizing Jiang Yanli, but both his father and his mother are focused on his training and education in becoming a sect leader, and Madam Yu isn't constantly comparing the two since they're not 'competing' against each other like she seemed to think in cannon. Instead when Jiang Cheng gets too frustrated about not figuring something out or is too hard on himself, Madam Yu throws Wei Wuxian at him to train with.

As they get a bit older, Wei Wuxian is like, but is jiejie learning all this? And Jinzhu has to tell him that no, she's got a small core, besides she has you. Wei Wuxian thinks that's stupid, and says so loudly, so he goes to teach her at least the basics so she can defend herself with hidden daggers, terrifying hair pins, and talismans at the very least.

It's at that point that they realize how adapt he is with talismans, so they make the decision to send both him and Jiang Yanli off to Meishan Yu for him to train with their masters. Jiang Yanli meanwhile is sent to her grandparents and aunts to learn more about political manipulation training, management of sects, trade, logistics, etc.

It's at this point that they get the invitation to Gusu, and Madam Yu insists both her kids go. Which also means Wei Wuxian, professional rule breaker, also goes along with them. During the day he's as perfect as Jinzhu and Yinzhu could ever dream, but he immediately breaks curfew the first night because a) Emperor's Smile, and b) jiejie's in pain again, and the medicines they were sent with weren't working right, and jiejie's dorm mate said that these herbs from Caiyi could help...

Anyways, Lan Wangji is totally able to win against Wei Wuxian in strength, and breaks one of his wine jars again, but since Wei Wuxian was always told to make sure to never get caught, at least this time he had a mask on. So technically Lan Wangji can't say for 100% certain who it was who broke curfew. (Discretion, always, might have been tattooed on his forehead by Yinzhu.)

But like. Lan Wangji is like. Bro. My man. Dude.

Thus beginning his utter fascination with Wei Wuxian because of course the Head of Discipline can't let any infraction go, cause denial (whomp whomp).

Wei Wuxian is thrilled to get such a response out of someone so poised and stoic, especially since he's never been able to do that with his mom or aunt or even Madam Yu. Jiang Yanli thinks it's absolutely hilarious, immediately pegging Wei Wuxian's interest as a crush, and when Wei Wuxian dismisses that, she has to be like

Sir. I know you. I helped raise you. This is a crush. So she's super encouraging that they spend time together, and shows her true colors as an instigator when it comes to her didi. But Wei Wuxian pushes back since they won't be there long enough to form any real long term attachments.

(Actual video of Wei Wuxian during this conversation)

Anyways, Gusu Arc is similar to last time, only Wei Wuxian isn't technically a student, but he does sit in on the classes and surpringly draws 0 attention to himself, making Lan Wangji's suspicion of him even more suspicious to Lan Xichen.

This time, Jin Zixuan isn't punched. Jiang Yanli gives him a cold bow and walks away, but that night Wei Wuxian definitely makes sure that Jin Zixuan knows that that wasn't cool, cause like. It's Jiang Yanli, she's the best why wouldn't you think that? Wtf sir, why would you say anything like that? And oops, look how sharp this dagger is, and oops my talisman slipped. Again.

Needless to say, the next day Jin Zixuan has a healthy respect for staying far away from Jiang Yanli or even thinking about her, and if he doesn't even look Wei Wuxian's way? Well, no surprise there.

MianMian is totally Wei Wuxian's BFF now, though, since she's never seen anyone be able to handle Jin Zixuan so well, and that includes his mother. Lan Wangji is, obviously, jealous, Jiang Yanli continues to instigate meetings between them, and the day of the Waterborne Abyss Wei Wuxian is finally like.

Oh. That's what Jiang Yanli meant about Lan Zhan. And Wei Wuxian is just like,

This leads to further shenanigans between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian to the point that even Lan Qiren is like. Lan Wangji, just ignore him. We have three weeks left, it's fine. But Lan Wangji is like, he gave me rabbits? But also broke 82 rules in less than 10 minutes? And also he's annoying? But why is he paying more attention to Luo Qingyang?

Anyways, they finally go home, Cloud Recess is attacked, and the Wens are like. Time for the worst summer camp ever! Jiang Yanli begs Wei Wuxian to go to the Wen Camp with Jiang Cheng to keep an eye on him. Wei Wuxian refuses until Jinzhu steps in and uses her mom voice, telling him in no uncertain terms he's going, and Jiang Yanli will be in Meishan, as far from the Wens as she can be right now.

Turtle Time! All of the disciples are essentially going:

the entire time they're there. The arc goes basically the same, only more Wangxian cuddling, teasing, and Wei Wuxian being a shameless flirt to Lan Wangji's horror.

Jinzhu and Yinzhu travel back with Jiang Cheng to save Lan Wangi and Wei Wuxian, and for the first time Jinzhu and Yinzhu show in public that the familial connection with Wei Wuxian goes both ways. The twins insist Lan Wangji stays until he's healed because they owe him a debt for saving Wei Wuxian, but mostly because they're nosy as shit about him. Wei Wuxian would not stop talking about him in his letters and when he returned, so they're like who is this?

Then they meet him, and are all. Ah. Fellow Introvert. Amazing.

We will still kill you if you do anything to our surrogate child/nephew.

Lan Wangji is like. Fair. But also what are you talking about I totally didn't write him a romantic song or anything.

Things tighten down all over the cultivation world after that, and Wei Wuxian is sent to Meishan Yu where Jiang Yanli is, and they miss out on the Lotus Pier attacks. When they get news of what happened, Jiang Yanli has to keep Wei Wuxian from immediately going back, since they both know that if Lotus Pier burned then their parents died defending it. A few days later, Jiang Cheng shows up, along with a badly hurt Jinzhu. Madame Yu forced Jinzhu to go with him since she knew Jiang Cheng would immediately be like. Nope, gonna go back to Lotus Pier to my death the minute Zidian released him.

Both of them are going through major surivor's guilt, but Jiang Cheng sneaks off to get his parent's bodies at the very least, and Jiang Yanli sends Wei Wuxian to chase him down. When they get there, Wen Ning finds them and shows them where the bodies have been moved to.

(Wei Wuxian sees his aunts body and has a major trauma moment, realizing that he's lost what basically amounted to his second mother, and almost lost his first. He decides he's not going to lose either Jinzhu or Jiang Yanli, and he'll do his best to keep Jiang Cheng around either.)

Basically it's the same progression, only this time Wei Wuxian's loyalty isn't to Jiang Cheng, but to Jiang Yanli, so he drags him back to Meishan. There, Jiang Yanli begs for something to be done to help her brother, but the healers are all at a loss.

Jinzhu, meanwhile, only wants to get revenge even though she's still really weak from the attack. All she wants to do is go on a suicidal mission to take out the Wens and Wei Wuxian is Not Having That. He refuses to let her go alone, and Jiang Yanli refuse to let Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng out of her sight. She knows Wei Wuxian would definitely sacrifice himself for Jinzhu, but he's her brother. They're far close than Jiang Cheng because they spent almost every waking moment together due to the circumstances, and by their own choice.

Jiang Yanli starts openly calling Jinzhu her aunt, putting her on the same level as her mother's sisters, and Wei Wuxian calls her mother in public, even though she fights it at first.

Eventually it becomes obvious that neither Jiang Cheng nor Jinzhu are getting better, so Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian decide to seek out Wen Qing, who had grown close to Jiang Yanli when they were at Gusu, and ask for her help. They come up with a plan where Wen Qing and Wen Ning are 'captured' by the remaining Jiang disciples, and brought back to Meishan.

There, Jiang Yanli finds out about Wen Qing's research into golden cores, and begs Wen Qing to transfer Jiang Yanli's to Jiang Cheng. After all, she's never been able to do anything to it due to her illness, and even as weak as it is it's still enough for him to cultivate.

Jinzhu is still trying to sneak out, and Wen Qing finally sits her down and tells her she still has a family, even though her sister and mistress are gone. The best thing Jinzhu can do now is to watch over Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli and her own child rather than trying to stay in the past. Jinzhu is not happy about this, but Wen Ning speaks up and says that since Jinzhu helped raise them, if Jinzhu left it would be like losing another parent all over again.

This, and Wen Qing's locking down of her core, make Jinzhu calm down and think long term rather than emotionally. Once Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli, and Jinzhu are healed enough, Wen Qing and Wen Ning are 'released' and go back to the Wens.

The Sunshot Campaign progresses in much the same way, only Jinzhu and Wei Wuxian work together to gather intelligence, while Jiang Yanli works closer with the sects in strategy and logistics behind the scenes. Jiang Cheng is still an angry butterball at this point, but Wei Wuxian isn't doing demonic cultivation, which creates problems, but they somehow manage to struggle through.

Jiang Yanli works to make sure the Dafan Wen get 'captured' very early in the campaign who have to look at the rest of the sects and be like. Y'all. They hate Wen Ruohan just as much as us. But also.

Free Healthcare.

In a war.

(NMJ is still against it, but he's overruled by literally everyone else.)

When Lan Wangji is away from the camp, Jiang Yanli and Jinzhu are both like, no, no moping Wei Wuxian. And they throw a bunch of paper at him and tell him to go do something useful. He ends up making new talismans that help with the war effort, and some that just make life easier, and hands them out to as many people as he can.

Once the Dafan Wen reach them, Wei Wuxian, once again, latches onto the orphaned A-Yuan. Jinzhu takes one look at them and immediately thinks,

and sets off to try and figure out how to adopt a grandchild. Lan Wangji is just thinking 'Yes. Perfect Husband Material' when he sees Wei Wuxian with A-Yuan.

Jiang Yanli has to be the one with the brain cell, pointing out to Wei Wuxian that he cannot adopt a child during a war. And especially not if he's still single. Seeing how Lan Wangji is looking at Wei Wuxian, Jiang Yanli seeks out Lan Xichen and tells him, this is what we're doing. Don't ask any questions. But your brother is going to marry my brother, so make sure neither of them die. Thanks.

Once they get close enough to Nightless City through the strength and power of Nie Mingjue's mustache and (insert epic war arc here), Jinzhu and Wei Wuxian sneak into Wen Ruohan's palace, and Lan Wangji invites himself along for Reasons.

When they share the logistics they've found out (time tables, the fact that Wen Ruohan is having health issues, the lack of cultivators within the walls of the city) with the rest of the war council, Wen Qing (invited there by Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng, specifically), points out to the rest of them that the medicine's Wen Ruohan takes are healthy in small doses but are also. Hella Poisonous.

And the rest of them are like, ok? Cool? But what does that have to do with us?

And Wen Qing just looks at them. You captured me, babes.

So Wen Qing 'escapes' back to Nightless city and because she looks absolutely awful (again, she knows what herbs and medicines to take to make her look tortured and miserable), and Wen Ruohan sees her and is like, my niece! You have returned to me, even though I no longer have your family to blackmail you! You do like me!

And she's like, yes, of course I do. I also brought the Jiang Sect Leader with me, and you could totally lock him up in the dungeons, or you could just. Let me keep him and experiment on him, that would be awesome?

And Wen Ruohan is like,

(Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng is the one sending information back to the Sunshot Campaign through lights in the window at night.)

Anyways, Wen Qing ends up being Wen Ruohan's doctor, again, while the fighting goes on outside, and rumors start to go around about one or three spies being inside Nightless City. Wen Qing says that they've got to rout the spies out or we'll lose this war.

Meanwhile, Meng Yao is just

Paranoia grows rampant as Jiang Cheng uses Wei Wuxian's talismans to make it seem like the spies' activities are increasing until Wen Ruohan only lets Wang Lingjiao and Wen Chao supervise and bring him his meals. So its a THING when he ends up bedbound with a poison that only Wen Qing can treat him for. And since Wang Lingjiao and Wen Chao were the only two who could have tampered with his food, and Wen Qing is above reproach being the prodigal son doctor (and the spying and the evidence of it was going on before she got there), Wen Chao and Wang Lingjiao are executed.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch Sunshot Campaign:

Jin Zixuan is still being stupid about Jiang Yanli, and he lets the same woman take all the credit for Jiang Yanli's food, and he confronts her when she tells him that no, that's from me. And Jiang Yanli just bursts into angry stress tears - but no one other than her knows that - and Wei Wuxian snaps. Jiang Yanli takes him down before he can get to Jin Zixuan, though, quicker than anyone but Hanguang-Jun has been able to.

(Jinzhu pointed out all his weaknesses to Jiang Yanli long ago, and Jiang Yanli Does Not Hesitate.)

And everyone else is just looking at her like, wtf? Then Jiang Yanli proceeds to dress Lan Zixuan down and his only thought is

Nie Mingjue continues to be a bear of a warrior and wins skirmishes and takes out Wen Xu. At this point Jiang Guangshan is looking at it and being like, ah yes. I help. Here's two more cultivators. And generally continuing to be The Worst.

Jin Zixuan and his contingent of MianMian and other cultivators collectively roll their eyes.

But Nie Mingjue's story is a completely different story with grand, overarcing themes of brotherhood, trauma, war and glory, and family trauma, but that is not what we're on about today folks.

Flash back to Nightless City where Wen Ruohan is losing his shit and Wen Qing keeps on gaslighting him, because she is a chaos demon on the same level as Wei Wuxian when given a chance. Wen Ruohan decides he can only trust like, two people besides Wen Qing, and the rest of his sect is just waiting for him to show any weakness.

Wen Qing very gently tells him that he hasn't been sleeping well, that's why he's so paranoid, and makes him some very strong sleeping droughts. She warns him not to take too much all at once, though, because when taken in large doses it's deadly. Only he doesn't realize that not only does it have a strong depressants in it, it's also full of stimulants that don't let him fall asleep.

After only a few days, Wen Ruohan is hella hallucinating and it gets to the point where his liver just. Fucks off. and he dies brutally. And since he's executed all of his remaining line, Wen Qing is the next in line for sect leader.

Immediately her first decree is that the Wens are surrendering and she throws open the doors to Nightless City and orders the remaining Wen soldiers to stand down. Jiang Chang comes out and is like, can I go home now? And Wen Qing is like,

The Jin are still like, the Wen have to pay we lost sooo much to them, wah wah wah, but this time even Jin Zixuan is like Bro-Dad. Chill.And Jin Guangshan kind of has to since he isn't able to claim Jiggy's killing of Wen Ruohan this time around.

So everyone fucks off to rebuild their sects; Jiang Cheng works on his 'new' core; and Jiang Yanli works to rebuild the sect, forcing Wei Wuxian to do a lot of the work because she's tired, man.

Eventually, Lan Xichen gets tired of Lan Wangji moping about and sends him to Lotus Pier under the guise of intersect relations, along with a letter outlining a marriage proposal because at this point even Lan Qiren just wants to marry Lan Wangji off to put him out of his misery.

Side Story: Wei Wuxian absconds with the rest of the Dafan Wen who have all looked at Nightless City and been like, nah. I'm good. And Wen Qing is like. Same. Especially since

So the Wen are disbanded as a sect officially as a condition of surrenduring (and she didn't want to lead the remaining Wen soldiers, they super suck).

Instead she goes to Nie Mingjue, since the Nie's were the only sect who didn't have majorly damaged land during the war, and Nie Huaisang and her got on famously, and rolls up like, Yo. NMJ. I want to build a medical pavilion, and he's like. No.

And NHS is like. Bro. Please, let me handle this. Wen Qing here's a nice spot just outside our home, and here's some money to train medics and learn about our terrifying cultivation methods, thanks.

Side Story Time!

Wen Qing and Nie Mingjue end up in a hate/fuck relationship, playing a long game of chicken until they end up married. Wen Qing is able to cut back on the resentful energy of the Nie Cultivation methods through a combination of Wen medicine and Lan musical cultivation to extend his life in a 'You can't die yet, I need more funding,' sort of way, and Nie Mingjue agrees to her methods because 'I'm still suspicious of you."

Everyone else is like, please use better silencing talismans Sect Leader we are begging you.

Nie Huaisang is currently commissioning three seperate plays dedicated to Wen Qing Alone.

Back at the plotline: The Phoenix Mountain Hunt still goes on as planned; Wei Wuxian still throws a flower at Lan Wangji; only this time he spends the entire opening ceremony at Jiang Yanli's side, who is there more in an official pseudo-sect leader capacity rather than at Madam Jin's invitation.

Madam Jin is still like, My son's a dick, yes, but marraige maybe?

Wei Wuxian snarks at this underneath his breath, and Jinzhu discreetly stabs him with a hair pin and reminds him to behave. Jiang Yanli tells Madam Jin that the Jiang Sect is willing to honor the marriage if the Jin are since their sects are so close, but only on the condition that Jin Zixuan is the one wanting to enter the marriage. Otherwise, if he is still against it, they should dissolve the marriage since the Jiang's have already taken so much insult from him personally.

Before Madam Jin can protest too much, Jiang Yanli steers the conversation with the other sect leaders around them to matters of trade, adeptly putting to use the more intensive training of a sect she received at Meishan to use.

A few hours into the hunt, Wei Wuxian gets fidgety, and Jinzhu chases him off to check on Jiang Cheng to keep him out of trouble. On the way, he 'finds' Lan Wangji and at some point in their walk, Lan Wangji looks as if he wants to confess something, but they're interrupted by Jin Zixun's appearance, along with Su She and a few other reprobates.

Wei Wuxian manages to be polite enough, and waits until he and Lan Wangji are walking off to slip a few talismans Jin Zixun's way so he can't reasonably be blamed. Su She, ever the sycophant, still blames him, claiming that he saw Wei Wuxian do it. And Lan Wangji is like, I was right right next to Wei Ying and I saw nothing.

Jin Zixuan stumbles upon them, along with Jiang Yanli, presumably on a walk together, with Madam Jin and Jinzhu behind them. Jin Zixun whines about it to his cousin until Lan Wangji pushes him for proof of a talisman. Surely there would have been a paper or ashes or something left to prove that there was ever a talisman to begin with.

(Knowing full well Wei Wuxian has come up with a talisman that leaves no trace.)

When Jin Zixun turns to Jinzhu, thinking that surely one of Madam Yu's maids knows just what Wei Wuxian gets up to, she just turns to face him and stares, letting the numerous scars on her face scare him off of it.

As they return to the pavilion, they all have to watch as Jin Zixuan is awkward and weird around Jiang Yanli, and Wei Wuxian can't help but make faces about it. Jiang Yanli catches him and points out, to his utter embarassment, that he's worse around Lan Wangji, and since she's had to deal with it for the last ten years, he can deal with it for one hour.

That's more than enough to keep him quiet until the banquet that night, though it doesn't help to keep Lan Wangji from looking too smug about it.

[fennelwasp]

Birth of a mistress

[littlecrittereli]

✨️how you draw so well, I'm IN LOVE with the story ✨️✨️✨️ how Chris looks exactly when he's out of control, could you doodle what he looks like :3 I LOVE your drawings <3✨️✨️

Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it! And ofc, I've been meaning to make some art about this...

In the Jaguar suit of cours, Diego has always been partial to cats.

To the outward gaze, he kinda just seems... zoned out. There are moments of clarity or recognition, but for the most part he almost doesn't react to much besides Diego's commands.

[verdantglow]

Imagine the Hermits learning ballroom dance.

Imagine Etho being assigned to lead because he’s tall & everyone assumes he would.

Imagine him constantly fucking up, stepping on his partner’s feet, missing beats, just a mess.

Imagine Bdubs getting upset from the sidelines.

Imagine him getting blustery about this disaster & stepping in, saying no, no, no, this is all wrong, shooing Etho’s partner away.

Imagine anxiety bubbling up in Etho’s stomach, at having to lead for Bdubs, as he walks over.

Imagine Etho trying to place his hands on Bdubs, mentally preparing for another disaster.

Imagine Bdubs tutting & moving Etho’s hands away, much to Etho’s confusion.

Imagine Bdubs then firmly placing his hand on Etho’s back & grabbing his other hand.

Imagine Bdubs confidently taking over the whole situation.

Imagine Etho’s amazement as Bdubs leads him, and suddenly Etho’s dancing is on beat, smooth, no stepped on feet.

Imagine them elegantly whirling across the floor, everyone else watching them in surprise.

Imagine Bdubs dipping Etho.

Imagine Etho looking at Bdubs face while this happens & feeling his stomach flip at the burn of assurance in Bdubs eyes.

Imagine the song then ending, & them just staying there for a moment, breathing a bit heavy from the exertion.

Imagine Bdubs pulling Etho back up & releasing him & pointed saying that that was how you did it.

Imagine Etho staring at Bdubs, feeling lost & unsure now that Bdubs isn’t there, hand on his back deftly leading him.

Just like. Imagine.

[germaaaaaaaaaa]

moooore peter and norm swap stuff

I did not bring that up last post but the main idea was by @redtalics ^-^ yapping in tag. If you are curious. Hi

[coern-art-very-cool-and-nice]

try again?